The 2016 U.S. Election: A Possible Repeat of the 1964
Election?
Global Research, October 20, 2016
Region: USA
This incisive article by Prof Rodrigue Tremblay first
published in June 2916, has predicted with foresight the unfolding crisis
surrounding the US presidential campaign opposing Donald Trump and Hillary
Clinton…
* * *
I would remind you that extremism in the defense of
liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit
of justice is no virtue. Barry
Goldwater (1909-1998) US
Senator (R-Arizona) and 1964 Republican Presidential candidate, (in his
Acceptance speech as the 1964 Republican Presidential candidate, in San
Francisco, July 16, 1964)
Sometimes, I think this country would be better off if
we could just saw off the Eastern Seaboard and let it float out to sea. Barry Goldwater (1909-1998) US Senator (R-Arizona) and 1964 Republican
Presidential candidate, (in a December 1961 news conference)
We’re going to hit them and we’re going to hit them
hard. I’m talking about a surgical strike on these ISIS stronghold cities using
Trident [nuclear] missiles. Donald
Trump (1946- ), Republican presidential candidate, (in an interview
with ‘Meet the Press’, NBC News, August 9, 2015)
…They
asked me the question [about torture], ‘What do you think of waterboarding?’
—Absolutely fine. But we should go much stronger than waterboarding. Donald Trump (1946- ), Republican presidential candidate, (in
a statement during a campaign event at a retirement community, in
Bluffton, S. C., Feb. 17, 2016)
* * *
The way this 2016 American presidential election is
unfolding, there is a good chance that it could be a repeat of the 1964 U.S.
election. In both instances, a Democratic presidential candidate is facing a
flawed and frightening Republican presidential candidate who multiplies
provocative and reckless statements and off-hand comments.
Politicians sometimes forget that, once
elected, they are expected to serve all the people, not their narrow
base of fanatical partisans. In that regard, their public statements are very
important because they give a clue about what type of public servant a
candidate would be. A candidate can easily self-destruct if he or she forgets
that, when talking to partisans, the entire electorate is listening. Strong
statements, good or bad, remain in people’sconsciousness when time comes
to vote.
In 1964, Republican candidate Barry Goldwater (right)
soon developed an image as an extremist on many issues with a series of
reckless and ill-thought out statements. For instance, in foreign policy,
he advocated using ‘low-yield’nuclear weapons in Vietnam and in
Europe. Domestically, he wanted to make Social Security voluntary. He
even suggested that the United States would be better off if the entire
East Coast of the country were cut off and sent out to sea!
Goldwater was never able to shake off his image as an
extremist on many issues, and he was never in a position to unmask the
Democratic candidate’s war plans. This was a key factor in his crushing defeat
in November 1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (image left below) won about 61 percent of
the vote to Goldwater’s 39 percent, and took all but six states.
Therefore after the election, President Johnson had a
free hand in escalading the Vietnam War, especially considering that the U.S.
Congress had already adopted the infamous Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, on August 7, 1964. The disastrous war would
last ten more years, until 1975.
There is a good chance that history might repeat
itself next November.
Indeed, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump
has been acting as if he doesn’t really care whether he wins the election or
not, drawing attention to himself with outlandish statements and reckless
comments, presumably designed to shock and create free “publicity” for his
candidacy.
One day candidate Trump wants to adopt torture as a
public policy. The next day, he wants to prevent Muslims from entering the
United States and build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico to stop illegal
Mexican immigration. Later on, he advocates using nuclear missiles against
Islamist terrorists in the Middle East, and—throwing away any humanitarian
principle—even kill their families.
Domestically, he wants to abolish Obamacare, but so
far, he has not spelled out any replacement. Etc.
etc. etc!
Moreover, he doesn’t mind contradicting himself.
Sometimes, he rebuts the pro-Israel lobby, professing not to need its money.
But then, he lets his Middle East advisor state that a Trump administration
would give the Israeli government a free hand in expropriating the
Palestinians.
Since Mr. Trump has no government experience of
any kind, one would think that he would consult about policy issues he knows
little about, before issuing a statement. This does not seem to be the case. He
even jokes: “my primary consultant is myself.” That
is a sobering thought. The candidate does not seem to have an overall plan;
everything seems to be left to improvisation.
This indicates a lack of discipline. Indeed, candidate
Trump seems to be his own worst enemy. As a businessman, Mr. Trump may have
great qualities. As a politician, he seems to be lacking in political
instincts, self-control and restraint.
As a result of his flippancy and inconsistencies, Mr.
Trump’s poll numbers are slipping badly, not because people
necessarily like the alternative Democratic choice, but mainly because they
become increasingly disillusioned by the lack of seriousness on candidate
Trump’s part. They sense that he is unstable and unpredictable, that he has no
plan and no program.
All this is a free gift to Democratic presidential Hillary Clinton who has to defend 40 years of political
involvement. Unless an unexpected event occurs, and unless Mr. Trump changes
profoundly his approach, the choice in the U.S. next November will be between
two main candidates with net negative approval ratings, and the candidate with
the lowest net negative rating will win, by default.
One would think that the American electorate deserves
better.
Prof. Rodrigue Tremblay is the author of the book “The Code for Global Ethics, Ten
Humanist Principles”, and
of “The New American Empire”.
Please visit the book site at:
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